09/08/2025
Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists identified a remarkable group of black fungi—among them Cladosporium sphaerospermum and Cryptococcus neoformans—thriving on the walls of the damaged reactor.
Unlike ordinary fungi, these organisms did not merely withstand the intense radiation; they seemed to flourish in it.
Known as radiotrophic fungi, they contain high concentrations of melanin—the same pigment found in human skin.
Researchers discovered that this melanin does more than shield the fungi from radiation: it actively absorbs ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays, and may convert it into usable energy. This process, akin to photosynthesis but using radiation instead of sunlight, is called radiosynthesis.
Experiments, including those carried out aboard the International Space Station between 2018 and 2019, confirmed that melanized fungi can reduce radiation exposure and even grow more robustly in radioactive environments than under normal conditions.
In one study, a layer of fungus just 1.7 millimeters thick blocked more than 2% of cosmic radiation. Scientists believe that thicker layers could serve as biological radiation shields in space travel, particularly for missions to Mars.
The discovery has generated considerable interest—not only for potential applications in radiation cleanup (bioremediation) and protection during space exploration, but also for advancing our understanding of how life adapts to extreme environments.
The ability of these fungi to transform a harmful energy source into sustenance stands as one of nature’s most extraordinary survival strategies.
